Continents on the northern hemisphere

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In summary, the conversation discusses the question of why most of the continents are located in the Northern hemisphere. While the individual suggests it is just a coincidence, the animation provided shows that the continents have constantly been shifting and changing positions over millions of years, indicating that it is not a permanent pattern. Therefore, it can be concluded that the current distribution of continents is simply due to chance.
  • #1
pixel01
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I am supprised and puzzled when my nephew, a 14 year old boy asked me : 'Why most of the continents are on the Northern hemisphere ?'.
I answered him it is just a coincidence. Could anybody explain if there are any real reasons for that?
Thanks
 
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  • #3
Thank you Bill, it's very nice animation. But frankly I can not find the answer myself.
 
  • #4
pixel01 said:
Thank you Bill, it's very nice animation. But frankly I can not find the answer myself.

The animation shows the continents moving, constantly changing patterns over hundreds of millions of years. At one point they are all jammed together, at another point most of them are in the southern hemisphere. What it shows is that the pattern of the continents isn't permanent. They're still moving around, extremely slowly.
So it seems you were right, that it's just chance. If he'd been around a couple hundred million years ago (or a couple hundred million years in the future) it would all look different.
 

1. What are the continents located on the northern hemisphere?

The continents located on the northern hemisphere are North America, Europe, Asia, and a small portion of Africa. These continents are situated above the equator.

2. What is the largest continent on the northern hemisphere?

Asia is the largest continent on the northern hemisphere, covering an area of approximately 44.58 million square kilometers. It is also the largest continent in the world.

3. Are there any continents on the northern hemisphere that are entirely located in the Arctic Circle?

Yes, Greenland is the only continent on the northern hemisphere that is entirely located in the Arctic Circle. It is the world's largest island and the world's largest non-continental landmass.

4. How many countries are located on the northern hemisphere?

There are a total of 91 countries located on the northern hemisphere. This includes all of North America, most of Europe and Asia, and a small portion of Africa.

5. Are there any continents on the northern hemisphere that are connected by land?

Yes, Europe and Asia are connected by land and are often referred to as the supercontinent of Eurasia. The boundary between these two continents is commonly defined by the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea.

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